Chinese former Premier Li Keqiang died of a heart attack on Friday, barely seven months after retiring from a decade in office. He was 68.

“Comrade Li Keqiang, while resting in Shanghai in recent days, experienced a sudden heart attack on Oct. 26 and after all-out efforts to revive him failed, died in Shanghai at ten minutes past midnight on Oct. 27,” state broadcaster CCTV has reported.

Once viewed as a top Communist Party leadership contender, Li was sidelined in recent years by President Xi Jinping, who tightened his grip on power.

Li was premier and head of China’s cabinet under Xi for a decade until stepping down from all political positions in March.

Laying a wreath in August 2022 at a statue of Deng Xiaoping – the leader who brought transformational reform to China’s economy – Li said: “Reform and opening up will not stop. The Yangtze and Yellow River will not reverse course.”

Li supported a more open market economy, advocating supply-side reforms.